There wasn’t a light. Nothing terrified her more than that.

She knew she’d fallen. Ripped to shreds by some zombie-like monster in a forgotten crypt in a terrible world, only to find there wasn’t a light to greet her. It was jarring.

Her mind drifted to thoughts of her father, as it often did. He had mused aloud once about the supposed light at the end of the tunnel. ‘Jennifer,’ he’d said, ‘do you ever wonder about the anglerfish? The one that lives in the deep sea with a light on its head? When people talk about going toward the light, did you ever think about whether it’s really salvation, or just something that’s hungry and clever?’ Having recalled that, Jenn was suddenly very pleased to be in the dark. She did start to wonder about a certain black room with a single beam of light that shown down on a book, however.

So it was just darkness. Maybe the lack of light meant she wasn’t dead. Maybe she’d been saved by one of the boys and was just unconscious. Maybe the zombies - or ghouls, they might’ve said - took pity on her and just threw her in a sensory depravation tank.

Again, these thoughts brought to mind her father, who at times like these would say—

“Anything’s possible,” came a voice that was not entirely unlike her father’s.

A light appeared as though it were at the end of a long tunnel.

*******

Kevin was power walking like a desperate Floridian retiree. Judging by the looks he got, I gathered that elves rarely seem so hurried. I kept ninety percent of his pace in spite of strict bodily protest. The acolyte kid practically tripped over his robes trying to keep up.

“Hello, Raymsby!” exclaimed an elderly gentleman in a very wide hat. “Friends of yours?”

Raymsby smiled. “Everyone’s my friend, sir. Sorry I can’t chat - business at the church.”

“Well, it looks like rain, so be sure to buy one of my wife’s hats!” he called out as we passed by.

“Raymsby?” I looked over to the young acolyte. “Is the priest watching our friends a cleric?” Half a second of consideration made me want to clarify. “That is, can he use divine magic to heal people?”

“Oh dear, no,” he said. “We’re such a small church, anyone who can perform such miracles…”

I walked faster.

*******

When they said ‘go towards the light,’ they meant ‘the light rushes your way and there’s nothing you can really do about it,’ concluded Jenn. Or maybe the light wasn’t coming closer so much as it was getting bigger. Regardless, it encompassed most of her vision in very little time.

“Hello, Jennifer,” said the light. Its voice travelled through her, and it shifted like a kaleidoscope of white on white with each syllable.

Jenn was taught to face the unknown with cautious confidence. “Hello,” she said evenly.

“I felt it was time we meet.” The voice wasn’t her father’s, though there was a similarity. Something else about it seemed familiar. “You weren’t ready before.”

“Well, you know my name,” said Jenn. “Tell me yours.”

“I have no name.”

“…Oh? Why not?” The tale of Odysseus and the Cyclops from her greek literature class popped in her head.

“I have no creator, therefore I was never given a name. You are welcome to call me what you wish.”

“I… think I’d like to know you more before I name you,” said Jenn. “Why do you feel that it’s time we met? Have you been waiting for me?”

“I am to whom you pray. It is my symbol you carry. They are my whispers that grant you knowledge of miracles. I am with you as I have been since you first appeared in the realm.”

*******

The church was made of stone. We entered and were greeted by a man in his twenties wearing white and gold robes. “Afternoon,” he said. His eyes shifted to Raymsby then back to us. “Oh, are you here about the, uh…?” He pointed to an alcove with descending stairs. “I’ll take you there. Thank you, acolyte. Watch the sanctuary for me, please?”

We headed to the basement. “I’m clergyman Obus. I believe you met pastor Daniel last night, yes?”

“I did,” said Kevin. “Nice to meet you. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“Well, it started a little while ago,” he led us to a door. “Pastor Daniel has kept constant vigil since they were brought here. They’re both fine, it’s just…” He opened the door and gestured us inside.

*******

“You… ‘in the realm’? You mean you know I’m not from here?”

“Correct,” intoned the light. “From where you came and what caused the journey is beyond my knowledge, however. I simply know that you were not created in this universe, and deduced you had to come from another.”

Jenn sighed. “I guess it was too much to hope that you could get me back….”

“Certainly not as I am. Though with your help, that could be remedied.”

“…What do you mean?” It was the first mention of help and it came only after she disclosed what she wanted. She knew to take everything with a grain of salt.

“My power is limited to mortal belief. Word of my existence must be spread. Indeed, the very power you wield is mine, though you may discover it lacking without further mortal cognition of it. I make no promise to my ability to return you from whence you came, as I lack an understanding of its nature or consequence, but I do promise to support you in every way I am able.”

“And… the extent to which you’re able depends on your power, which depends on mortal belief in you, so you need me to spread word of your existence.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but who… or rather, what are you? Why do you specify ‘mortal’ belief?”

“I cannot answer who I am other than to say I am I. What I am, at least to the reference of mortals, is a God.”

She let that sink in for a bit. “So, a God’s power is determined by whoever knows it exists?”

“Minimally. Knowledge of existence is but the start.”

“Then what’s the next step?”

“Worship.”

*******

“…Jack?” whispered Kevin.

“Yeah?”

“She’s glowing.”

“…Yeah.”

*******

She raised her eyebrows. “You want me to get people to worship you?”

“Yes.” The word was formed without urgency or anger, nor was it a plea.

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

“Spread word of my existence. Show what power I have granted.”

“I… okay, I’m told there’s a number of Gods, and they each have a… domain. One’s the God of war, another the God of love. So what are you?”

“What I am is a God. How you present me to the world is your choice. I may have no creator, but I am shaped by mortal understanding. That being said, we are like minded, as is evidenced by your ability to receive my power. I would not be able to help you otherwise.”

She looked into the light, studying it. “Why do you want worshippers? Power for its own sake?”

“To be a God without is eternal loneliness.”

She wondered if that was all there was to it. If everything this ‘god’ was saying was true, she could help with no real downside. If not, she could be opening Pandora’s box.

“Well,” she said. “At the very least, I’ll need to call you something.”

“I am yours to name.”

She nodded. If nothing else, it was probably better to have this as an ally than not. “I like what you said before. ‘I am I.’ That’s what I’ll call you.” A smile spread across her face.

“I name you Iamai, god of…” She searched for the right word. When she couldn’t find it, she shrugged.

“T.B.D.”